Son of Saul and Rizpah, given to the Gibeonites.
Mephibosheth
Named in 1 verse of 2 Samuel, first in 2 Samuel 21:8.
מְפִיבֹשֶׁתMephibosheth
The name means “out of my mouth proceeds reproach.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869
- Father
- Saul
- Mother
- Rizpah
- Brothers and sisters
- Jonathan, Abinadab, Malchi-shua, Merab, Michal, Ish-bosheth, Armoni
- People
- Tribe of Benjamin
About Mephibosheth Written by AI
Mephibosheth was a son of King Saul and his concubine Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah (2 Samuel 21:8). He was one of the seven descendants of Saul who were handed over to the Gibeonites to be executed, as a means of atonement for Saul's attempt to annihilate the Gibeonites (2 Samuel 21:8). This event occurred during David's reign, when a three-year famine prompted David to seek the Lord's guidance. The Gibeonites requested seven of Saul's descendants to be handed over to them, and Mephibosheth was among those chosen. He was put to death along with his brothers and the five sons of Merab, Saul's daughter (2 Samuel 21:8).
Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.
Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897
This entry is on the name Mephibosheth, and may cover more than one person or place by that name.
Exterminator of shame; i.e., of idols. (1.) The name of Saul’s son by the concubine Rizpah (q.v.), the daughter of Aiah. He and his brother Armoni were with five others “hanged on a hill before the Lord” by the Gibeonites, and their bodies exposed in the sun for five months (2 Sam. 21:8-10). (2.) The son of Jonathan, and grandson of Saul (2 Sam. 4:4). He was but five years old when his father and grandfather fell on Mount Gilboa. The child’s nurse hearing of this calamity, fled with him from Gibeah, the royal residence, and stumbling in her haste, the child was thrown to the ground and maimed in both his feet, and ever after was unable to walk (19:26). He was carried to the land of Gilead, where he found a refuge in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar, by whom he was brought up.
Some years after this, when David had subdued all the adversaries of Israel, he began to think of the family of Jonathan, and discovered that Mephibosheth was residing in the house of Machir. Thither he sent royal messengers, and brought him and his infant son to Jerusalem, where he ever afterwards resided (2 Sam. 9).
Read the rest of the entry
When David was a fugitive, according to the story of Ziba (2 Sam. 16:1-4) Mephibosheth proved unfaithful to him, and was consequently deprived of half of his estates; but according to his own story, however (19:24-30), he had remained loyal to his friend. After this incident he is only mentioned as having been protected by David against the vengeance the Gibeonites were permitted to execute on the house of Saul (21:7). He is also called Merib-baal (1 Chr. 8:34; 9:40). (See ZIBA.)
M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.
Where the Bible names him
- 2 Samuel 21:8
But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons whom Rizpah daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul, as well as the five sons whom Merab daughter of Saul had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite.
From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.